Ritual
by Amaranth Traces
Summary: SamDaniel. SG1 gets into a little bit of trouble offworld and it's up to Sam to save the day.
1. The Day of the Mission

**Ritual **

_Summary:_ Sam/Daniel. SG-1 gets into trouble off-world, and it's up to Sam to save the day.  
_Spoilers: _Children of the Gods, Emancipation (big ones), Singularity, In the Line of Duty, Holiday, Forever in a Day, Divide and Conquer  
_Author's notes: Italics_ indicates thoughts or flashbacks, **bold** indicates emphasis  
_Disclaimer: _I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.  
_Feedback:_ Always welcome.

**- -**

**The Day of the Mission **

Stepping through the wormhole onto an alien planet, SG-1 surveyed the forested land around the Stargate.

"Well, what do you know? Trees!" grumbled Colonel Jack O'Neill. "Okay kids, you two go check out those ruins you're so excited about and Teal'c and I will scout the surrounding territory. We'll meet back at the 'gate at 1800 hours."

Major Sam Carter and Daniel Jackson headed for the nearby ruins. "How much do you want to bet that Jack is on his way to that stream the UAV recorded to see what kind of fishing spots this planet has?" asked Daniel jokingly.

Sam laughed. "No way am I taking that bet." Her commanding officer had a great love for fishing. To him, actual fish weren't even a necessary part of the equation.

The two scientists continued their cheerful chatter until they reached the clearing in the forest where the ruins were, and they quickly got to work. Daniel headed directly to a pillar that had fallen to the ground, examining the writings on it, as Sam took out her equipment to begin sampling soils.

When she finished, Sam went to help Daniel take video and photos of the site. They were packing up all of their samples and equipment, getting ready to head back to the Stargate when Sam heard a noise from the forest around them. She picked up her P-90 and scanned the trees.

"Sam?" Daniel said softly.

"I heard something."

He looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Maybe it was just an animal."

"Maybe," Sam murmured, still alertly searching for the source of the sound.

A spear whizzed through the air and landed in the ground two feet from where they stood. Sam pointed her weapon in the direction from which it had been thrown.

A woman dressed in warrior's garb stepped from the trees. Sam trained her P-90 on the newcomer. Suddenly, a dozen armed women stepped into the clearing, quickly surrounding Sam and Daniel's position.

"Damn it," Sam muttered under her breath as she reluctantly lowered her gun. "Okay, no problem here," she said to the women as she lifted her hands away from her body in a gesture of surrender.

Daniel copied her gesture and took the diplomatic lead as the women continued moving closer to them. "We are travellers from far away. We have come to learn about your culture—" His words are cut off when one of the women shoved a spear toward him, stopping just inches from his face.

"Okay," he laughed nervously. "We uh, we mean you no harm."

The woman spun her spear around and struck Daniel in the face with its blunt end. He wobbled slightly and then fell when a second woman kicked his knees from behind. Daniel landed face down on the ground with a soft thud.

Sam raised her weapon again and shouted at the women to back off. In response, they shouted back at her in a language that seemed vaguely familiar to her.

Daniel tried to get up but stopped when he felt a spear press into his back. Sam watched anxiously as he spoke in the same language. The reward for his efforts was to have more women direct their spears to his back.

Sam's mind was racing, that language was familiar. French! None of the women were threatening her; all of their weapons were trained on Daniel. _Strange_, Sam thought, _He hasn't even drawn his weapon. I'm the one who's armed and they're pretty well ignoring me._

Sam struggled to remember her high school French. "Stop!" she commanded in the language.

The women looked up at her, finally listening.

"Let him go," Sam continued in their language, gesturing them to move aside with her gun.

Slowly, the women stepped away from Daniel, although they kept their weapons trained in his direction. Sam knelt and helped him up, never taking her eyes of the women surrounding them. _No men_, Sam observed silently.

"Is this man yours?" one of the women asked her, stepping forward to stand directly in front of Sam.

Sam felt her entire body go tense. Not long after her first trip through the gate, her team had been asked as similar question regarding who owned her. That mission had been a complete disaster. She had never told her team mates everything that had happened after she had been kidnapped and sold to a neighbouring tribe, but she sooner die than let anything like that happen to Daniel.

"Yes, he belongs to me," she answered quickly. Out of the corner of her eye, Sam saw Daniel glance at her in surprise, but she ignored him, concentrating on the woman in front of her.

The woman looked at Daniel suspiciously. "He does not wear the required collar."

Sam resisted the urge to look at Daniel for guidance. "We are from a far away land and our customs are not exactly the same as yours. In our land, it is enough for a woman to claim a man in words." She hesitated, her mind racing. "A woman's man is faithful and devoted to her, even without the collar."

At her words, the women surrounding them finally seemed to relax, and they lowered their weapons. Sam breathed a sigh of relief and finally turned to look at Daniel. She touched his jaw lightly, turning his face to a better angle so she could see the wound on his temple. It was bleeding.

Sam frowned. "I'll need to look after that." She started to pull her med kit out of her pack.

Daniel glanced around and saw the women staring at them. "Not right now, Sam," he murmured without moving his lips.

She surveyed the group still surrounding them and realised that they were still the centre of attention. Sam glanced at Daniel briefly, wishing he could help, but it was obvious that these women didn't want to hear him speak. _This cultural stuff is so not my thing_, she thought. Deciding that a firm leadership role in this situation might help them get out of here, she turned back to the woman who had spoken to her before.

"I need to tend to my man. Your unprovoked attack has caused both injury and insult."

Sam practically held her breath waiting for their reaction to her bold words and was relieved when the women immediately moved aside and asked for her to follow them to their village.

After a three-hour walk down a forest path, Sam and Daniel found themselves in a large village of mud and stick huts. They were shown to one of the huts and ushered inside alone. Sam let the fabric covering the doorway fall back into place before sliding her pack off her back. The hut was empty except for a large, low bed in one corner. She motioned for Daniel to sit on the bed.

As Sam retrieved the med kit from her pack, Daniel tried to get Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c on the radio. There was no response. Sam looked at Daniel and frowned as she knelt in front of him to examine his wound.

"Maybe they're just out of range," Daniel tried to reassure her.

"I just hope they haven't come across any of the locals." With a hand on his chin, Sam gently tilted his head again so that she could better see his injury. She took out the supplies she needed from her med kit and started to clean the dried blood from his face.

As she tended his wound, Daniel asked teasingly, "So, ah, exactly how long have I been your property?"

Sam gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. My mind flashed on the Shavadai and what had happened to me after I was...sold." She shook her head. "I couldn't let that happen to you."

"You never talk about what took place between the time you were taken and when we finally found you."

"Well, it wasn't exactly something they'd put on the travel brochure."

Daniel studied her face as she applied disinfectant to his temple. Feeling his eyes on hers, she glanced at him and sighed. "Let's just say I'm glad they had that anaesthetic plant. It worked wonders."

He looked horrified and caught her hands, stopping her first aid efforts. "What did they do to you?"

Sam shrugged. "I tried to escape, but they caught me. Turghan was going to punish one of the other women for my behaviour. I couldn't let him do that, so I...convinced him to leave her alone and punish me instead."

Daniel waited for her to elaborate, but it soon became obvious that was all she was going to say about it. "I'm so sorry, Sam. If I hadn't insisted that you play anthropologist – dressing and living like the Shavadai people – you never would have had to go through any of that." Guilt filled his eyes, and he hung his head.

"Daniel, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault." She turned her attention back to finishing dressing his wound. "We just didn't know any better then." Sam glanced at him and winked. "Now we do. And I absolutely refuse to allow anything like that to happen to any of you guys."

Finally finished, Sam examined her medical handiwork and sat back on her heels, satisfied.

"We've missed our rendezvous time," she said, effectively changing the subject. "We need to get back to the gate to report the situation to General Hammond."

Sam glanced back at the door of their hut. "They didn't take our weapons or packs. Maybe that means we're not prisoners. Think they'll just let us leave?"

"I don't know, but you've done a great job handling them so far. I'm impressed."

She shook her head. "This is so not my thing." She sighed in frustration, verbalizing her thoughts from earlier. "Imagine what would have happened if their language wasn't so close to French! They could have killed you."

"Sam, don't torture yourself with the 'what ifs'. What really matters is that you're doing extremely well. All we have to do is find Jack and Teal'c, get to the gate and have them assemble an SG team of women to send back here. No problem." He grinned at her.

"Oh, is that all." Sam rolled her eyes. "You've been taking lessons on strategy from Colonel O'Neill, haven't you?"

Standing, she moved to the door. Sam pulled aside the fabric and moved to step outside when two strong women placed hands on her shoulders, pushing her back inside. She stumbled backwards.

"You and your man are to remain here until Spirall arrives tomorrow," said one of the women.

"Who is Spirall?" Sam asked.

"She is the leader of our tribe, our greatest warrior. She must meet with all newcomers before you are permitted to leave this hut."

Sam studied the women in front of her. "Two other men dressed in similar clothing as mine and this man's," she gestured to Daniel, "were with me. Have any members of your tribe come across them?"

"Our warriors have captured two other men without collars. They have been confined for their crimes and will remain so until Spirall decides their fate."

Sam felt a stab of fear. "What crimes?"

"They attacked us and dared to speak without permission."

"What is the punishment for these crimes?"

"Their crimes are habitually punishable by death. Spirall will decide their fate."

Sam paled. "I wish to see these men immediately."

"You are not permitted to leave this hut until you have met with Spirall."

Sam glanced back at Daniel. "The men you have confined belong to me. I demand that they be brought here."

"Until Spirall has deemed you worthy, you will not make any further demands of us." With those final words, the women turned and abruptly left the hut. Sam knew they were still standing guard outside the door.

Sam tried the radio again, but there was still no response from the rest of the team. She sighed in frustration, feeling defeated.

Daniel moved to her side and placed his hands supportively on her shoulders. "It's okay, Sam. It sounds like nothing is going to happen to anyone until this Spirall shows up. You'll just have to make your case to her tomorrow."

She hung her head. "I'm not good at this cultural stuff, Daniel. This is your thing."

"You're doing extraordinarily well, Sam. I couldn't do better."

She laughed softly. "My French is awkward. I feel like I'm struggling for every word."

"Well, I can help with that."

They sat down on the floor of the hut and practiced the language. After a few hours, a woman came in with a tray carrying food, three pale yellow stones about the size of softballs and two small pebbles, one black and one white. Sam thanked the woman, who left without a word.

"She was chatty," Sam muttered as she picked up the tray. "What do you think these are?" She looked at the stones.

Daniel picked up two of the stones and turned them over in his hands. "There are no inscriptions or anything."

He put one of the yellow stones down and picked up the white pebble. He ran his thumb over a small indentation on the yellow stone and examined the white pebble.

"Hmm..." He placed the pebble into the indentation.

The yellow stone started to glow with a soft light.

"It's beautiful," said Sam softly. She picked up one of the other yellow stones to examine it.

Daniel removed the white pebble from the glowing stone, and the stone remained lit. Placing the white pebble back into the indentation had no further effect. He picked up the black pebble and set it into the indentation. The glowing immediately stopped.

"This is amazing," said Sam. "There's no evidence of any circuitry. It must be some kind of chemical reaction within the stones and the pebbles are catalysts to start and stop the process."

"Well, I guess we have a few night-lights." Daniel grinned.

As they ate their supper, they talked about matriarchal societies. Daniel explained some possible scenarios that Sam might expect, and the best procedure for negotiating the release of Jack and Teal'c. He thought that the strategy she had adopted was a good one; a show of strength in this society was a good thing. All in all, his preparation was really helping her relax. By the end of the night, she was feeling much more comfortable both with the possible customs of these people and with her French.

Darkness fell quickly, and they lit all three yellow stones. A pleasant yellow light filled their hut. After a bit more conversation, they both started getting tired. Sam shivered in the cool air and yawned. The days on this planet were really comfortable, but it was obvious the nights were quite chilly. Daniel grabbed his pack and set it on the dirt floor, lying down next to it to rest his head on the pack.

Sam watched him and shook her head. "Daniel, it's cold. You don't have to sleep on the ground." He sneezed and she laughed. "Come on. With your allergies, you won't get any sleep in the dust, and you'll keep me awake with your sneezing too."

She patted the large bed with a smile. "We've shared sleeping quarters countless times." _Granted, it was only when the whole team was present_, she added silently.

Daniel looked at her warily.

"We both need to be rested for when this Spirall comes tomorrow." Sam gave him a pointed look.

He finally nodded in agreement and turned off all of the light-stones. They lay down on the low bed together, keeping a professional distance between each other. Daniel turned his head to look at Sam. "Good night, Sam."

She turned her head and smiled at him. "Night, Daniel."

**To be continued...  
Please read and review.**


	2. The Day of Negotiating

**Ritual **

_Summary:_ Sam/Daniel. SG-1 gets into trouble off-world, and it's up to Sam to save the day.  
_Spoilers: _Children of the Gods, Emancipation (big ones), Singularity, In the Line of Duty, Holiday, Forever in a Day, Divide and Conquer  
_Author's notes: Italics_ indicates thoughts or flashbacks, **bold** indicates emphasis  
_Disclaimer: _I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.  
_Feedback:_ Always welcome.

**--**

**The Day of Negotiating **

Sam woke up the next morning feeling more rested than she had in years. Her eyes still closed, she sighed and buried her face into her pillow, trying to hang on to the feeling of complete comfort, if only for a few more minutes.

"Mmm, Sam..." she heard a voice mumble as an arm she didn't realise was there tightened around her shoulder. Sam's eyes flew open, and she jerked awake. She yelped when she saw what she had thought was her pillow was actually Daniel's chest. Daniel woke at her sudden movement and looked at her through sleepy eyes. She pulled away quickly – too quickly. Sam fell backwards off the low bed, her limbs flying, and landed on the floor with a thud.

"Sam!"

She looked up from the floor and saw Daniel peer over the side of the bed. "Are you okay?" He was very concerned.

Sam gingerly touched the back of her head where she had bumped it and winced. "Yeah. Sorry."

He leaned down to help her up. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry."

She laughed. "Okay, we're both sorry."

Sam rose from the floor and tried to regain her composure. Waking up in Daniel's arms had hit a little too close to her fantasies for her to brush off lightly. She scolded herself for reacting the way she had. Sam looked over at Daniel. He seemed to be acting normally, and she smiled. Her friendship with Daniel could survive anything. She had never been closer to anyone in her life.

They were always there for each other. She had supported him after his wife, Sha're, had been abducted and later, killed. He had been there for her when they discovered the bomb inside Cassandra's chest. After the Tok'ra Jolinar of Malkshur gave her life to save Sam's, Daniel had been the only one besides young Cassie who had been able to pull her out of her subsequent depression.

Sam had fought for Daniel when Ma'chello had taken over his body. He had nearly died again that day, but he had managed to hold on until she figured out how to get his consciousness back into his own body. That incident had been a real eye-opener for Sam. It had forced her to confront the suppressed feelings she had for her friend.

Of course, most recently, Daniel had been an incredible source of strength to her as she dealt with Martouf's death. Sam still felt almost physical pain in her gut when she remembered being forced to kill the man who had been Jolinar's mate for more than a century. Sam's blending with Jolinar had resulted in Sam sharing the memories and emotions that Jolinar had for Martouf. Sam knew that she wouldn't have overcome her immense grief and guilt if Daniel hadn't been there. He was the one constant in her tumultuous life.

_Yes_, she thought, _Daniel and I can overcome anything._ Sam was so grateful for her friendship with him. The bond they shared was unlike any other she had with anyone. _And that's exactly why I can't tell him about my feelings for him_. She knew that Daniel was still desperately in love with his late wife, and it broke her heart that he was so sad. All she could do was to be his friend and a shoulder to lean on.

The quiet woman who had brought them supper the night before arrived with breakfast, then quickly left. They practiced French again while they ate. Daniel made a game out of it which helped immensely. Periodically, Sam peeked out of the door. There were always two guards standing just outside.

After lunch had been brought and eaten, Sam was starting to grow very impatient. Finally, a very tall and muscular woman dressed in flowing robes and a magnificent headdress entered their hut. Sam and Daniel both stood to greet their guest.

"I am Spirall, leader of this tribe. I have been told that you are new to our lands and not familiar with our customs." Spirall turned an evaluative eye on Daniel and looked him up and down. "This is your man?"

"Yes. Two other men are being held by your people. They also belong to me."

Spirall seemed unaware that Sam was speaking. She walked confidently up to Daniel and studied him. "He is a fine looking man; I will pay well for him."

Sam stepped up next to Daniel and placed her hand on his arm, pulling him a step backwards. "He is not for sale," she said slowly.

"You will not change your mind?"

"I'm afraid not."

With a final glance at Daniel that sent shivers down Sam's spine, Spirall looked at Sam, who had moved to stand protectively in front of Daniel.

"Your other men have committed atrocious crimes against my people."

Remembering Daniel's advice from their discussion last night, Sam replied, "I ask that you forgive me for their behaviour and release them into my custody."

Spirall gazed intensely at Sam. "That is not within my direct power."

"If we are permitted to leave, I can guarantee that my men will never be seen in your land again to offend your people."

The leader seemed to consider Sam's request. "There may be a way. You will come with me to see them. This man will remain here."

Spirall headed for the door but stopped when she realised Sam wasn't following. "Come," she ordered.

Sam looked nervously at Daniel. She had been alone in a tent with the Shavadai when she had been kidnapped. "I have your word that this man will not be harmed and will be here when I return?"

Spirall looked insulted. "My people do not steal."

Sam lowered her head in deference. "I mean no disrespect. In my travels, I have come across other tribes that do not have such high moral standards."

"You can be assured that your man will be as he is when you return. Now, come." Spirall turned back to the door and stepped outside.

Sam glanced at Daniel, who gave her a small nod, and then she left the hut.

Spirall led Sam across the village and into a building. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c were in a cell in one corner of the building and immediately rose to their feet when they saw their team mate. Sam quickly motioned them to stay quiet but was relieved to see that they were both alive and relatively unharmed.

"These men are also yours?"

"Yes."

"They attacked my sisters and spoke without permission. They have been condemned to death for their crimes."

"I understand, but I ask for leniency. If we are permitted to leave, they will never offend your people again."

Spirall nodded. "Our laws do include a certain degree of flexibility for outsiders." She looked at Sam with the same evaluative eye that she had previously used on Daniel.

Sam was mildly disconcerted by her gaze. It felt like Spirall could see right into her soul.

Finally, Spirall spoke. "You are a good woman. There is a ritual that you can perform to expunge the crimes of these men and permit their release."

"I'll do it." Sam knew she was agreeing blindly, but if there was **anything** she could do, she had to do it.

"The ceremony for the ritual will take place four nights from now."

"Do you have any documents or someone who could help me to prepare for the ritual?" Sam asked.

Spirall nodded again.

Sam glanced at her teammates in the cell. "May I have a moment to speak with my men?"

The woman gestured for Sam to proceed, but it was clear she had no intention of giving them any privacy. Sam stepped up to the enclosure and spoke quickly in English.

"This is a very matriarchal society; their language is based on French which I luckily remember more or less. Daniel is helping in that respect. It would be best if neither of you spoke to anyone except me and only then if I'm speaking to you."

"Can you get us out of here, Carter?" asked Colonel O'Neill.

"I'm working on it, sir. This is Spirall and she is the leader of these people." Sam took a deep breath. "Okay here's the thing. You've been confined for attacking and speaking to a woman."

"Speaking? We're in jail for speaking?"

Spirall bristled. Sam glanced at her and hit the bars between her and her commanding officer with her hand, causing a loud crash. The Colonel and Teal'c jumped, but Spirall was obviously pleased by her response to his insolent tone.

"Sorry, sir. In this society the men are subservient to women. She didn't seem to like your tone, and I knew she was expecting me to do something about it. We have to be **very** careful here, sir. They've condemned both you and Teal'c to death for your 'crimes'. Have they been treating you well?"

"They brought food and water and even blankets last night. So, I guess so. But it's not exactly a five-star hotel, ya know? You said something about getting us out of here?"

"There is a ritual that I can perform at a ceremony to get you two released and then we will all be free to leave."

"I hear a 'but' coming."

Sam hesitated before answering. "The ceremony is in four nights, sir."

Colonel O'Neill looked like he was about to explode but he kept his tone light. "Four nights?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you know what this ritual entails?" asked Teal'c.

"Not yet, but they have promised to give me information about it. Daniel is with me, so he can help me translate everything and figure out exactly what to do."

Spirall laid a heavy hand on her shoulder, and Sam knew it was time to leave.

"I have to go now. I don't know if they'll let me see you again before the ritual, but I'm going to get you two out of here." She looked at the Colonel and at Teal'c. "You just have to be patient. I'll do my best to make sure that you're taken care of in the meantime."

"We're counting on you, Carter."

"Don't worry, sir. Remember, don't talk to anyone. They'll kill you just for speaking."

Both men nodded gravely and Sam was led out of the building and back through the village to her hut.

Sam headed back inside and found Daniel anxiously waiting for her.

"They're okay. There's a ritual I can do to get them released and we can all go home."

"What kind of ritual?"

"I don't know. Spirall is going to have someone bring some books and maybe someone to help explain things, but I'm going to need your help."

"You've always got that, Sam."

Later that night, dinner was brought and Spirall followed shortly afterward. She told Sam that the documents she requested would be brought to her the next morning and that she and her man were permitted to leave their hut every evening after dinner and before sunset. She warned, however, that if there were any disruptions to the lives of the women of her tribe, they would be confined to their hut again.

Sam asked about the Colonel and Teal'c, and Spirall pointed at Daniel. "This one did not attack my people. He is permitted to leave the hut as long as he speaks to no one but you. The others were violent. Such behaviour is deplorable – they will remain confined and will be put to death unless you perform the required ritual at the appointed time."

Sam nodded. "Can I visit them again?"

"You cannot, but they will be cared for until the ceremony," Spirall said. "There is a stream not far from here where you may bathe. You and your man must return to your hut before nightfall each night."

"Will your guards be joining us when we leave the hut?"

"They will not. In my land we trust women to do what is right, just as we trust women to keep their men respectful. I have noticed that the men that are confined – one in particular – seems to have trouble with respect."

"I apologize for their behaviour. I have only recently acquired them, and I am still teaching them."

"In the future, it would be wise to complete their lessons before wandering into other lands."

"You are very wise, Spirall. Thank you for your advice."

Spirall pulled back the fabric over the door, and another woman entered, carrying a tray with several small items and some large, thick pieces of fabric. "These are for you to use as you wish," Spirall said vaguely before both of the tribeswomen left.

Alone again, Sam examined the items on the tray. "How many hours between now and sunset do you think?"

Daniel sighed. "Not enough to make it to the gate and back. It took us three hours to get here from the ruins." He picked up one of the objects and studied it.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Damn." Sam picked up another item from the tray and sniffed it. "I think these are soaps." She touched one of the pieces of fabric. "And towels."

Daniel smelled the object in his hand and nodded his agreement. "Well, I guess we should take this opportunity to go get cleaned up."

Sam and Daniel grabbed their packs and selected some soaps and towels, then headed off in the direction Spirall had indicated.

It was stunning. The stream meandered through the forest, with tree branches hanging high overhead. As Sam and Daniel approached the watercourse, they noticed a deep natural pool near a curve of the stream. The water in the main branch babbled happily, but in the pool, the water was swirling slowly. It was the perfect natural bathtub.

They sat down on a nearby rock and took off their boots and socks. Sam dipped a toe in the water and smiled. "It's actually pretty warm."

Sam pulled off her BDU jacket to reveal the fitted black t-shirt she was wearing underneath. Daniel gulped as her figure was revealed. The bulky uniform didn't do her justice. He had been concealing his feelings for his friend for some time now, with some success. At times, he could even convince himself that he didn't have inappropriate thoughts about Sam. However, her current attire coupled with the memory of waking with her in his arms that morning was sending his imagination off on all sorts of devilish pursuits. He was relieved that Sam apparently hadn't noticed his little slip-up that morning. Daniel had only been half-awake when he had heard himself mumble her name.

Sam looked up at the sky and frowned. "I don't know how much light we're going to have, we had better move quickly."

Daniel nodded, but realised he didn't know what to do. His mind was telling him to forgo bathing and just turn his back so that Sam could wash, but certain other parts of his anatomy were vehemently disagreeing.

Sam grinned at him. "Ya wanna turn around?"

A deep blush darkened his face, and he apologised as he turned away from the pool. A few seconds later, he heard her get into the water. Daniel tried to think of anything besides what was going on behind him. He forced himself to recall the tiniest details of the last 'hockey night at Jack's house'.

"Are you coming, or what?"

Daniel spun around and saw Sam up to her shoulders in the water.

"Come on, we haven't had a shower in two days, and we don't have much time. I won't peek." She grabbed one of the soaps that she had placed at the edge of the water. Sam turned away from Daniel, giving him some privacy, and began to cleanse her skin.

Regaining his composure, Daniel quickly stripped his clothes and slid into the water. He looked over at Sam and frowned at the faint scars visible on her back. Long lines crisscrossed her skin.

"Sam?"

She turned and smiled at him.

"I put the soaps over there." She pointed at a rock near the water's edge. She held her nose and dipped her head underwater. Sam worked the soap in her hands into a lather and started washing her hair.

"Oh. Thanks," Daniel picked up a bar and watched as she massaged her scalp. Gulping, he forced himself to look away.

A few minutes later, they were both feeling clean and refreshed. Daniel stared out at the stream as Sam got out of the water, towelled off and dressed. Then Sam studied the trees while Daniel emerged from their bath.

The sun had almost set when they reached their hut. Sam lit the light-stones as Daniel watched her.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you get those scars on your back?"

She looked at him sharply, but seeing his concerned expression, her eyes softened. "Turghan," she said simply. "He ruined that dress you and the Colonel were so gaga over too." She forced a fake smile as she remembered.

_When Sam had seen Turghan take out a whip and slice open the back of that woman's dress with a long knife, she had felt sick. _

"_What kind of a woman are you?" he had asked her angrily. "Do you respect nothing? Care for no one but yourself? These were responsible for you. Now, because of you, they will be punished."_

"_No! It was my fault! If you need to beat a woman to feel like a man, try me!" Sam had been relieved when he turned his anger away from the innocent woman on the floor of the tent. The beating that followed hadn't been pleasant, but Sam had borne it to protect the other women._

_Afterwards, Turghan had left and the women helped Sam out of the tent and onto a bed. They had removed her tattered dress and tended to her wounds. The anaesthetic plant that the Shavadai had shown SG-1 had been used to stop the searing pain. The women had given her a simpler dress, and Sam had been grateful for their help. _

"Oh God, Sam," Daniel choked, his eyes filling with tears of sympathy. He couldn't look at her and stared at the floor.

Sam squeezed his arm gently, ducking her head so she could look into his eyes. "It wasn't your fault, Daniel."

"Why didn't you tell me?" His blue eyes looked haunted.

"Because I knew you'd feel guilty, and it **wasn't your fault**," she stressed soothingly.

Sam insisted that they continue to practice her French, and a few hours later they were very tired. Daniel hunkered down on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked.

"Oh. After this morning I figured..."

She laughed softly. "I'm sorry about that. I was just...surprised is all."

"The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable, Sam."

"Daniel." She gave him a look that said he should stop arguing. "Just come to bed, okay?" Sam smiled.

**To be continued...  
Please read and review.**


	3. The Day of Research

**Ritual **

_Summary:_ Sam/Daniel. SG-1 gets into trouble off-world, and it's up to Sam to save the day.  
_Spoilers: _Children of the Gods, Emancipation (big ones), Singularity, In the Line of Duty, Holiday, Forever in a Day, Divide and Conquer  
_Author's notes: Italics_ indicates thoughts or flashbacks, **bold** indicates emphasis  
_Disclaimer: _I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.  
_Feedback:_ Always welcome.

**--**

**The Day of Research **

The next morning, Daniel woke up in the cool morning air with Sam's warm body nestled in his arms, her head tucked under his chin. They were both lying on their sides, facing each other, with their legs tangled together. He revelled in the feel of her body in his arms. Daniel kissed the top of her head and sighed happily, wishing they could stay that way forever.

She stirred and he felt her breathing change. She was awake. Daniel expected her to pull away immediately, but she didn't. He heard what he wanted to believe was a contented sigh and felt her arm tighten slightly around his body. They remained that way for several minutes. All too soon for him, she lifted her head. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Sam looked at the handsome man sleeping in her arms and smiled. She'd love to stay tangled up with him in bed all day but they had work to do today – namely finding a way to save the lives of their two friends. She placed one hand gently on his shoulder and whispered, "Daniel."

His dazzling blue eyes opened, and she nearly gasped. "Morning."

"Morning, Sam." His face lit up in a brilliant smile.

"We really have to stop waking up like this."

"Is it really so bad?"

She blinked at him. His voice didn't have the teasing tone she would have expected to accompany a comment like that. Shaking her confusion off, she forced a laugh and sat up. "We have a busy day ahead. We have to learn about the ritual today."

With breakfast, a woman arrived with a huge pile of documents. Some were bound as books, and some were loose scrolls. She carefully placed the pile on the floor in a corner and then left again without saying anything.

Sam looked at the pile worriedly. "Holy Hannah."

"How long until this ritual?"

"It's in three more nights."

Daniel nodded. "Well then, let's get started."

Sam grabbed one of the bound books on the top of the pile and lay down on the bed. Daniel watched as she lay on her stomach and flipped open the book. Her feet wagged back and forth in the air. He smiled and turned to the pile of documents. Daniel took an armful of scrolls and sat on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed.

Daniel discovered something useful first. "Okay, I think I found it. This scroll outlines the laws that govern the behaviour of people from other tribes. It says that if there are misunderstandings or laws broken, then the woman can perform a ritual to become part of the tribe and promise that she and her men will obey the laws of that tribe."

"Perfect. Does it explain what the ritual is?"

"Um, let's see. Yes, here." Daniel continued to read the scroll. "In the ceremony, there's a vow that you have to take." He winced and glanced at Sam. "It looks pretty long, too."

"Too long to memorize?"

"No, no, I'm sure you'll be fine."

"So, that's it? I give a speech and we go home?"

"Uh, no." Daniel returned to reading the scroll. "There's also a ritual involving a bell and some wine, then...oh."

"What?"

"The uh, ritual. It's um, it's a bonding ceremony."

"Bonding?" Sam frowned. "You mean as in..."

"As in marriage."

Sam's eyes widened.

"This says that in order to be accepted as a member of this tribe, you'll have to take a vow that you and all of your men will obey the laws here. This tribe's laws require that a woman places collars on her men to signify that they belong to her."

Daniel read some more, then continued. "In their society, a woman takes a 'first' who is the true husband, and any other men that she takes are typically used for manual or domestic labour."

Sam took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks as she blew it out. "Okay, well no problem. It's just an off-world ceremony. It doesn't mean anything."

Daniel winced. "Actually, that's not completely true, Sam. I spent a lot of time after returning from Abydos getting my marriage to Sha're to be recognised. The result of my efforts was the decision that all off-world marriages are now considered legal on Earth."

"So, uh, oh boy." Sam licked her lips thoughtfully. "Maybe we can explain to these women that—"

"That what?" Daniel interrupted. "That you lied to them since the beginning, and you don't actually own any of us? Somehow I don't think that would solve any problems, Sam."

Sam dropped her head onto her arms and groaned into the bed. "So, three nights from now...I have to marry one of you?"

"There's always an annulment when you get home."

"Oh, thanks. That makes me feel so much better." She lifted her head and looked at him, sighing. "Okay, let's get some perspective. It's not that big of a deal if it means saving the lives of Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c, right?"

"There might still be another alternative in all this." He waved his hand at the still large pile of books in the hut.

"Good idea. Let's keep looking."

"Even if there isn't though, we're lucky that they have a law that allows leniency for people who don't know the ways of their tribe." Daniel looked at Sam seriously. "Most cultures are extremely intolerant of outsiders disobeying their laws. I know it's not an ideal situation, but it could certainly be far worse."

Lunch was dropped off, and by the time supper arrived, they had been through all of the books and scrolls but found no other options. They separated the documents into two piles: one for books with details about the ritual and the other for the texts that made no reference to anything helpful. Afterwards, they ate supper in silence, both lost in thought.

Their bath that night proceeded in a similar fashion to the night before. There wasn't much time between when their evening meal was brought to them and when this planet's sun set.

"Tomorrow we'll have to go over the specifics for the ritual. I want to make sure I do everything perfectly so we can all leave this planet alive," said Sam as they re-entered their hut.

She lit the light-stones to be able to see in the twilight.

"That's a good idea. Traditional rituals can sometimes be rigorous in the level of detail that needs to be followed. We still have two days. I'm sure you'll be prepared when the ceremony comes."

"I'm so glad you're here with me. I couldn't do this without you, Daniel."

"Sure you could." He grinned at her as they settled into bed

"No, I don't think so."

Daniel propped himself up on his elbow and looked down at her. "Sam you're the most capable person I know. You amaze me every single day. There is no doubt in my mind that you can do this." He smiled softly at her and brushed her hair off her forehead.

She looked up at him and chewed on her bottom lip. "Daniel, I have to marry someone in a few days and," she took a deep breath. "I was wondering if it could be you."

"Me?"

Sam just nodded.

Daniel blinked at her. "I would have thought that you'd want—"

"Colonel O'Neill," she finished for him. "Yeah, I know all about the rumours on the base about us. They're not true. Besides that, it would be weird if I had to marry him or Teal'c."

"Oh." Daniel sighed and rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling.

Sam pushed herself up on her elbow, looking down at him as he had done to her a moment earlier. She bit her lip again as she studied his face. "Daniel, you and I can get through anything. Besides, you said it yourself, we can get an annulment as soon as we're back on Earth." She watched him a moment before continuing softly. "It's not a betrayal."

He turned his eyes to her and frowned. "Betrayal?"

"Of Sha're."

The crease between his eyebrows deepened. "Sam, Sha're is dead."

Now it was Sam's turn to frown. "I know..." she said slowly.

He sighed sadly and closed his eyes to hide his guilt. "The real betrayal is that I–I let her go long before that."

"What? No, Daniel, you fought for her right to the end."

"Yeah, but I knew that I'd never really have her back no matter what happened. It's awful, Sam. Part of me was relieved when she died." His voice was tortured. "At least her torment was over."

Sam placed her hand on his chest and gazed at him with compassion. "That doesn't make you a terrible person."

"Maybe not, but falling for you while she was still out there does." He opened his eyes and gazed up at her.

Her eyes widened in shock. _I couldn't have heard that right._ "What?"

Daniel sighed and then pulled her hand from his chest, lifting it to his lips. He kissed her fingers as Sam watched, bewildered. "I'd be honoured to marry you, Sam, even if only for a little while." He smiled at her.

Sam felt herself being swept away into the blue depths of his eyes. Leaning down, she kissed him. Her fingers escaped his hand and trailed down his arm as Daniel's mouth responded to hers. Sam pulled away and gazed down at him.

He wrapped his arms around her and rolled so that she was lying on her back, and he was leaning over her. "What was that?" he asked quietly.

"I kissed you."

"Ah, yeah. That part I figured out. Why?"

Sam shrugged with a small smile. "I've wanted to for a long time. I just never thought..."

"You've wanted to kiss me for a long time?"

"Yep." She grinned sheepishly.

"Really." Daniel considered this new information seriously.

"Daniel, I realised I was in love with you when Ma'chello took his little holiday in your body," Sam whispered.

"Not long after me then," he murmured, tracing the line of her cheek. "I was so afraid that we were going to lose you when Jolinar took you over. I knew then that I had fallen in love with you."

Sam smiled. "You know, we lead really bizarre lives."

He laughed and ran his finger lightly over her lips. They kissed again, and he looked at her solemnly. "I know this is quick, but we've known each other for so long. What would you think if we didn't get that annulment once we get back home? We can just...see what happens?"

She raised her eyebrows at him. "That really **is **quick," she said slowly.

"Don't decide right away. Let's both think about it though, okay?"

Sam smiled again. "Okay."

With one more kiss, they turned off the light-stones. The respectful distance they had kept between them at the beginning of previous nights was forgotten as they snuggled comfortably in each other's arms. Soon, they were both peacefully asleep.

**To be continued...  
Please read and review.**


	4. The Day Before

**Ritual **

_Summary:_ Sam/Daniel. SG-1 gets into trouble off-world, and it's up to Sam to save the day.  
_Spoilers: _Children of the Gods, Emancipation (big ones), Singularity, In the Line of Duty, Holiday, Forever in a Day, Divide and Conquer  
_Author's notes: Italics_ indicates thoughts or flashbacks, **bold** indicates emphasis  
_Disclaimer: _I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.  
_Feedback:_ Always welcome.

**--**

**The Day Before **

Daniel awoke the next morning spooned around Sam, his arm was wrapped around her waist. He breathed in the scent of her skin, still smelling of the soap from their bath the evening before. Daniel nuzzled the back of her neck and trailed a tender line of kisses over her shoulder.

He felt Sam rouse from sleep in his arms and whispered, "Morning, beautiful."

She turned around in his arms so she was facing him and lightly ran her fingers from his temple to his chin. Sam sighed happily and gazed at him. "Good morning."

"I could get used to this, you know," Daniel murmured as he brushed her hair out of her face.

Sam licked her lips nervously. "Yeah, me too."

He sensed her uneasiness and gave her a small smile. _This is still going too quickly for her. _Daniel pressed his lips lovingly to her forehead and then released her from his arms. Slowly, she sat up and looked at the two piles of books on the floor of their hut. He propped himself up on his elbow and watched as she sighed.

"A lot of studying to do today," she said.

"You're going to do great."

Sam turned and looked at him a moment. Lifting her hand, she ran her fingers through his short hair to the back of his neck and leaned forward to kiss him. She pulled away and smiled at him. "You always have such faith in me. Thank you."

They started going through all the texts pertaining to the ritual. Daniel compiled the information and put together an extremely detailed description of the events that would take place during the ceremony. They went over the entire ritual dozens of times, with Daniel quizzing her on even the tiniest details.

The worst part was the very long speech that Sam had to memorize. In it, she would pledge herself to Spirall's tribe and take responsibility for the actions of her men. Breakfast and lunch were brought at the usual times. They ate but never stopped studying.

A few hours after lunch, Sam was pacing the floor of the hut, reciting the oath that she had to commit to memory. Daniel watched her while he sat on the bed.

"Damn it!" Sam cursed, stomping her foot after she again lost her place in the recitation.

"You were doing great! That was almost the whole thing and it was flawless!"

"If I don't get this exactly right..." Sam sighed heavily rolling her head around her shoulders. She rubbed her neck and grimaced. _If this isn't perfect, they could kill all of you..._

"Come here." Daniel stretched a hand out to her.

She moved toward him and took his hand. He pulled her into his lap and grinned at her surprised yelp. Daniel sat further back on the bed and, with his hands on her hips, shifted her so she was sitting on the bed between his legs.

"Relax. You're doing great." His hands moved to her neck, and he started to massage her tense muscles.

Sam closed her eyes and let out a quiet groan as his strong hands rubbed away her stress. After a few moments, she took a deep breath and started reciting the oath again as he kneaded her shoulders.

Her eyes flew open as his massage suddenly stopped. "What?" She turned to look at him.

"You did it. That was perfect!" He had a broad grin on his face, and his eyes were twinkling.

She smiled and leaned back against his chest. Daniel wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. She rehearsed the speech three more times, each time without error.

"I knew you could do it," Daniel whispered into her ear.

Supper arrived, and they reluctantly arose from their comfortable embrace to eat. When they finished, they grabbed their bathing gear and headed down the path to the stream.

The sun was just starting to set as they arrived back at their hut. Sam sat nervously on the edge of the bed as Daniel lit the light-stones.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing her mood.

"I'm just worried about tomorrow." Sam nudged a small twig on the floor with her foot.

"Want to run through it a few more times before bed?"

Sam looked at him gratefully and nodded. Several hours and six perfect runs later, they were both getting very tired. They turned off the light-stones and got into bed. Daniel held her as Sam silently ran through the entire ceremony in her mind yet again. She felt Daniel's breathing change and turned her head to look at the sleeping man beside her. His presence calmed her rattled nerves, and she found herself finally drifting off to sleep.

--

The hut was still dark when something woke Daniel. He touched the bed beside him and realised that Sam was missing.

"Sam?" he called, trying to stay calm.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Her voice emerged from the darkness.

"What's wrong?"

"Can't sleep." She lit one of the light-stones, and the hut was illuminated in a soft glow.

"Sam, you're prepared. It'll be fine." His voice was soothing. "But you need to rest."

Sam sighed and reluctantly lay back down on the bed. Daniel held her in his arms and whispered reassurances to her until she fell asleep. Smiling, he kissed her temple and closed his eyes.

**To be continued...  
Please read and review.**


	5. The Day of the Ritual

**Ritual **

_Summary:_ Sam/Daniel. SG-1 gets into trouble off-world, and it's up to Sam to save the day.  
_Spoilers: _Children of the Gods, Emancipation (big ones), Singularity, In the Line of Duty, Holiday, Forever in a Day, Divide and Conquer  
_Author's notes: Italics_ indicates thoughts or flashbacks, **bold** indicates emphasis  
_Disclaimer: _I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.  
_Feedback:_ Always welcome.

**--**

**The Day of the Ritual **

First thing in the morning, a woman entered the tent and woke Sam and Daniel. She placed a breakfast tray on the floor and turned to Sam.

"Am I correct in assuming that you wish this man to be your first?" the woman asked, gesturing to Daniel.

Sam untangled herself from Daniel's arms and sat up in bed. "Yes, I do." She looked at Daniel, who nodded sleepily.

"Very well. Spirall has told me that on this day of celebration, you and your man are permitted to leave your hut and visit the rest of our village."

"Thank you! That will be wonderful!"

The woman nodded graciously and left.

Happy about being able to finally see more of the village, Sam and Daniel started exploring immediately after breakfast. As they neared the prison where the rest of their team was being held, Daniel noticed a woman coming out of the building. She was carrying an armload of clothing. Piece by piece, she dropped the clothes into a fire pit.

Daniel observed the woman for a moment then nudged Sam. She looked up, and he thrust his chin in the direction of the woman he was watching. Sam turned to see what he was indicating and watched as the woman tossed a black shirt onto the fire. Her eyes widened.

"Are those..."

"I think so."

"Oh boy."

Sam requested permission to enter the prison building, and it was granted. They stepped inside and the women there immediately cast appreciative glances in Daniel's direction. Sam wrapped a protective arm around Daniel's waist, and they approached the cell that held Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c.

Sam had to choke back her laughter at the sight of her team mates. After the Colonel had made such a big deal over the ridiculous blue dress that the Shavadai had made her wear, Sam definitely felt that justice was being served.

Both Jack and Teal'c had been dressed in something that vaguely resembled a skimpy toga. A long piece of off-white fabric about eight inches wide had been wrapped a few times around each of their waists and over one shoulder. On both men, chest and back were almost completely exposed, as the narrow strip of fabric ran from the waist in the back, over the shoulder, and back down to the waist in the front. The fabric over their hips covered all of the essentials, but not much else, ending only about six inches down their thighs. Their feet, legs and arms were left completely bare.

"What the hell is going on, Carter?" the Colonel asked, his cheerful tone obviously only for the benefit of the women milling around them.

"The ritual is tonight, sir. These are uh, traditional clothing, I assume." Sam bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"I do **not** want to wear this."

"I don't think you have much choice, sir. Daniel and I just saw them burning your BDUs outside." Sam gave him a wicked grin. "Besides, it, uh," Sam gave them an obvious once-over, "it kind of works for me."

Sam could feel Daniel's body shaking with silent laughter next to her as she repeated the words that her commanding officer had said to her upon seeing the infamous blue dress. The Colonel looked like he was about to explode.

Teal'c put a heavy hand on the agitated man's shoulder. Colonel O'Neill closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath in through his nose.

"After this ritual we can go home?" he asked, his eyes still closed.

"I believe so, sir." Sam had almost completely regained her composure, only a satisfied smirk remained on her face.

"Damn well better," he muttered quietly so only she could hear.

"Everything's going to be fine, Colonel. Daniel has helped me prepare, and I know the entire ritual by heart. You two just have to stand there. There are collars that I have to put around your necks, but otherwise you are barely involved. After the ceremony, there will be a dance and a dinner. We are permitted to dance and eat, but you can still only speak to me."

"You'd better be right about this, Carter."

"Don't worry, sir." She smiled.

The rest of the day was spent exploring the village. Daniel was fascinated by the culture of the people. In the centre of the village, a wide, shallow pit had been dug and lined with stones. It was obviously a well used fire pit, as the stones were blackened with soot and several inches of ash lay in its centre. A stone altar was also nearby, and Daniel examined the writings on it.

"I expect this is where tonight's ritual will take place," Daniel said to Sam in hushed tones.

Sam nodded and surveyed the area. The two of them quietly went through the entire ceremony together again with the venue in mind.

As evening approached, Sam and Daniel were ushered back to their hut. Women brought in new clothing for them to wear and helped them change. They dressed Daniel in a garment similar to what Jack and Teal'c were wearing. The fabric was the colour of blueberries, and instead of having a cottony texture like that of Jack and Teal'c, Daniel's fabric was silky.

Sam's new outfit reminded her of something that Xena: Warrior Princess might wear. She felt very self-conscious. The form-fitting bodice was made mostly of leather. It was wrapped with pieces of metal that seemed to be included for both decoration and armour. A short skirt made of strips of leather and high boots completed the outfit.

After the women took their BDUs and left them alone in their hut, Daniel was able to get his first look at what Sam was wearing.

"Wow," was all he could say.

She rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "Don't start," she said as she got her first look at him.

Daniel felt her eyes roam over his body, and he shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

Her lips turned up at the corners. "You know, you pull that look off a lot better than the Colonel."

He laughed shyly as Sam trailed her fingers lightly across his exposed chest and she looked up at him with a grin. "Very nice," she murmured.

Daniel allowed himself to take a closer look at her attire. He ran his hands down her sides to her hips, fingers moving over the textures of the metal and leather that covered her torso.

He lowered his face towards hers for a kiss, but before their lips met, they were interrupted as Spirall swept magnificently into the hut.

The village leader looked approvingly at Sam and Daniel. "The ceremony is about to begin. Please, come."

They followed her back to the centre of the village, where a great fire was burning in a pit. Many women were there as well as several men. They were the first men that Sam had seen in the village. All of them wore similar toga-style robes and they all had metal bands around their necks.

Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c were brought from the prison and handed over into Sam's custody. The Colonel was obviously amused at her warrior's garb but thankfully said nothing.

As the sun started to set, the ritual began. Spirall stood behind an altar and motioned for Sam and her men to step forward. Sam repeated the lengthy vows that she had memorized, promising to obey the laws of her new tribe and to take responsibility for the actions of her men. She rang a bell three times then drank from a goblet of wine.

Sam handed the goblet to Daniel, who also drank, and Sam placed the wine on the altar before ringing the bell twice more.

Spirall handed Sam a metal band then watched as Sam fitted it around Daniel's neck and passed a stone over the seam. Sam's eyes widened in surprise as she saw the metal seam disappear and the collar became a solid ring around Daniel's neck. Her studying hadn't prepared her for that. She looked at him, alarmed, but he seemed unharmed. In fact, he was smiling at her lovingly.

Daniel picked up one of the wreaths of flowers from the altar and placed it on Sam's head. Sam took the other wreath and placed it on Daniel's head. They smiled at each other.

Spirall nodded her head in approval, and Sam took the two last metal bands that were offered. She repeated the process of fitting and sealing the collars around the necks of both Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c. She nodded at them both and stepped back next to Daniel.

Spirall raised her hands to the sky. "This is a joyous day. Welcome our new sister!"

A cheer rose from the village women gathered around the fire and Sam, Daniel, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c were guided from the altar to around the fire. Music started playing, a feast of food was brought out and they ate and danced for hours.

--

Exhausted, Sam and her team walked back to the hut where Sam and Daniel had been living for the last several days. They stepped inside, and Sam was surprised to see that two new small beds had been placed at the opposite end of the hut from the large bed.

After checking that they were finally alone, Colonel O'Neill looked around the room and sat down heavily on the large bed. "Okay, I've been bunking with Teal'c for the last several nights and, quite frankly, I'm tired of his snoring. You're sleeping at the other end of this hut tonight, big guy."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, "I do not believe that it is possible for me to snore during my Kel'no'reem, O'Neill."

Daniel didn't want Jack to alter their sleeping arrangements. He wanted at least one more night next to Sam, but he didn't know how she felt about it. Daniel looked at her, his eyes silently asking the question. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, and she turned to her commanding officer.

"Actually, sir, that's my bed."

"Awfully big for just you, isn't it?"

"Yes sir," she said slowly, exchanging another glance with Daniel.

Colonel O'Neill raised an eyebrow, doing a fine impression of Teal'c. "What's going on here?"

"Jack, the ceremony that got you two off death row tonight was one in which these tribes-people accepted Sam into their family. She has taken responsibility for your crimes and vowed that you would never offend these people again. Sam saved all of our lives by claiming that she owned us. And now, after the ceremony tonight, she does. At least in the eyes of these people."

"That's what these are for?" Colonel O'Neill tugged at the metal collar around his neck.

"The collar indicates that the man wearing it is owned, yes."

"Uh-huh. And how come you got a hat?" He pointed at wreath of flowers still on Daniel's head.

"Well sir," Sam joined in the explanation. "The ritual was a bonding ceremony in which I took Daniel as my 'first' and you and Teal'c as secondary men. It was the only way to get you released."

"Your 'first'?"

"Her husband, Jack," Daniel clarified.

"You two are married? Oh, for cryin' out loud." He threw his hands in the air, frustrated.

"Jack look," said Daniel, "It's not like there's a lock on the door okay? If they have even the slightest inclination that Sam doesn't own us then there could be hell to pay. We're leaving tomorrow, and we can deal with everything then. But for now we need to keep things the way they appear." He wrapped his arm around Sam's shoulder and pulled her against him. She snaked her arm around his waist.

Colonel O'Neill narrowed his eyes at the two scientists. "Alright," he grudgingly agreed. "But no funny stuff!"

Sam and Daniel laughed.

"Yes sir." "Yes, Jack." They said at the same time.

Sam and Daniel readopted the professional distance they had abandoned two nights ago, falling asleep on opposite edges of the bed. Jack dropped quickly to sleep, happy now that he at least had a relatively comfortable bed. Teal'c settled down to Kel'no'reem.

**To be concluded...  
Please read and review.**


	6. The Day After

**Ritual **

_Summary:_ Sam/Daniel. SG-1 gets into trouble off-world, and it's up to Sam to save the day.  
_Spoilers: _Children of the Gods, Emancipation (big ones), Singularity, In the Line of Duty, Holiday, Forever in a Day, Divide and Conquer  
_Author's notes: Italics_ indicates thoughts or flashbacks, **bold** indicates emphasis  
_Disclaimer: _I don't own Stargate or anything related to it.  
_Feedback:_ Always welcome.

**--**

**The Day After **

Jack was the first to wake up. Stretching, he looked across the room and saw the two youngest members of his team snuggled quite contentedly together on their bed. Sam was sleeping with her back to Jack. She was nestled in the crook of Daniel's arm, her head resting on his shoulder. Daniel's cheek was leaning against the top of her head, and he had a serene look on his face. One of his arms was wrapped protectively around her body and the fingers of his other hand were entwined with Sam's fingers, resting on his chest.

As Teal'c came out of his meditative state, Sam stirred, nuzzling into Daniel's neck. Jack thought they'd wake up, but she just gave a contented sigh and fell silent again. Daniel's head turned slightly as she moved, and a smile played on his lips before he kissed the top of her head in his sleep.

Jack watched them in disbelief for several more minutes, suppressing the urge to shake them awake. He sat back down on his bed, lost in thought and waited impatiently for them to wake up.

Ten minutes later, the sleeping pair started to stir again. They seemed oblivious to Jack and Teal'c's presence. Sam moaned softly, and Daniel planted another kiss on her head. "Morning," he mumbled into her hair.

"Mmm, morning," Sam said before she kissed his neck. A moment later, she remembered their audience. Her eyes flew open, and she turned quickly around to face her teammates, coming dangerously close to the edge of the bed.

Daniel tightened his arm around her to keep her from falling off the bed as she had done their first morning in this hut. "Careful," he whispered.

Sam regained her balance and sat up. She smiled gratefully at Daniel then quickly ran a hand through her hair. Clearing her throat nervously, she looked at her commanding officer. "Colonel! Good morning, sir."

Behind her, Daniel propped himself up on an elbow.

"I'll say!" Jack grinned at them. "You two sure seem cozy. Are we quite sure that this marriage is just to get us out of trouble?" He sounded amused.

Sam and Daniel exchanged a look. "We don't know, sir. It's um, something we've been exploring."

"Oh, is **that** what you kids call it these days," he replied, a mischievous look on his face.

The two scientists blushed, and Sam stared at the floor of the hut.

"Well, all I can say is, it's about time!" Jack exclaimed.

Daniel let out a short, surprised laugh, and Sam just looked up at her commanding officer in shock. "Sir?"

"Oh please! It was obvious to everyone that the two of you felt more for each other than simple friendship. Am I right, T?" Jack turned to Teal'c for support.

"Indeed," stated the Jaffa simply.

Jack rolled his eyes. "That's a big help, buddy. Thanks."

Daniel smiled and looked up at Sam. She was staring at Jack and Teal'c, her mouth slightly agape. Daniel touched the small of her back, and she turned to look at him. Sam returned his smile and laid a hand on his shoulder. She caressed the muscles in his arm and ran her tongue across her bottom lip. Daniel's smile widened.

Jack turned back to Sam and Daniel and watched their silent interaction. _They deserve all the happiness they can give each other_, Jack thought. Although he had some pretty strong feelings for Sam himself, Jack knew that they probably wouldn't survive a long-term relationship. They were too different. Jack had little tolerance for Sam's technobabble, and Sam would grow restless and frustrated if she felt obliged to participate in Jack's favourite hobbies: fishing and watching hockey. He smiled at the two scientists. _Yes, Daniel is a much better choice for Sam._

Making a conscious decision to continue to be happy for them, Jack clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Well! I hate to break up this sweet little moment you two are having, but the ritual is over. Can we get off this planet now?"

Their hut was no longer under guard, and Sam stepped outside. She could see Spirall standing nearby with some other women. "Wait here," she said to her friends, who had followed her outside.

"Sister!" greeted Spirall.

Sam bowed to her. "I am grateful for your hospitality, but the time has come for me to continue on my travels."

"Of course, I understand. Will you return to us?

"I would love to return to discuss trade between our peoples."

"You are always welcome in my lands, sister. At any time."

"Thank you, Spirall. I will not forget what you have done for me."

"We look forward to seeing you again." Spirall wished her farewell as Sam walked back to join her team.

"Mission accomplished. Let's go, guys."

Sam led her team back up the path that the warriors had taken her and Daniel several days ago. Daniel joined her leading the group and Jack and Teal'c followed behind.

"Have you thought at all about that annulment thing?" Daniel asked quietly.

"Yeah, a bit. You?"

Daniel took her hand and wove their fingers together. "Sam, I love you. I want to be married to you. But if you want to wait, we can wait. It's your call."

Sam squeezed his hand and smiled. "I love you too, Daniel. And thank you. I still need to think about it though."

"I understand." Daniel smiled. He knew that Sam's military background had made her a creature of habit. She need time to adapt to changes in her life. For now, he was content in the knowledge that she did, in fact, love him. He sighed happily, and they chatted quietly the rest of the way back to the Stargate.

Daniel dialled the DHD, and Sam entered her IDC after the Stargate whooshed to life.

On his way up the steps to the event horizon, Jack grumbled about the fact that the tribeswomen had burned perfectly good clothing. With a resigned sigh, he stepped through the Stargate.

They emerged from the other side of the wormhole, surrounded by a security team pointing their weapons at them.

"Stand down!" boomed General Hammond's voice from overhead.

The General came into the gate room and took a good look at his lead team before addressing Colonel O'Neill. "You're five days overdue, Colonel! And what are you wearing?!"

"That's a long story, sir. Permission to get changed?" Jack scowled at the airmen who were trying not to snicker at SG-1's attire.

"Granted. Debriefing in two hours, everyone."

Two hours later, the freshly showered and changed members of SG-1 had finished their post-mission check-ups in the infirmary. They sat down at the conference table in the briefing room. Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel were all still wearing the metal collars around their necks, having been unable to remove them.

General Hammond entered the room and sat at the head of the table, looking at them expectantly.

The Colonel began by describing his and Teal'c's capture after they had left Sam and Daniel to do their work at the ruins.

"We were scouting the territory, sir, investigating a nearby stream."

Daniel and Sam exchanged a knowing look. He **had** been scoping out fishing spots.

Jack continued. "We were suddenly surrounded by these crazed women with spears. We defended ourselves, but there were too many of them. They tied us up and took us to their village where they locked us in a cell. Kept poking at us with their spears every time we tried to talk to them."

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair in such a way that it made everyone watching him wonder exactly which part of his body the women had been threatening. "That was pretty much the end of it until Carter showed up," Colonel O'Neill finished quickly.

Sam picked up the story. She explained to the General about how they had found a matriarchal society and that the Colonel and Teal'c had been imprisoned for speaking and being violent. Sam reported how Daniel had discovered a law that would allow for their release. They had been unable to get to the Stargate to send a report home, so they had prepared for the required ritual, performed said ritual and then been released.

"They have some pretty incredible things, General. Stones that emit light without any obvious energy inputs, other stones that fuse metal without heat—"

"Oh, that reminds me, can we get someone to take these damned things off of us?" Colonel O'Neill interrupted, tugging uselessly on his collar.

"I'll have someone look into it, Colonel. You were saying, Major?" General Hammond looked like he was trying not to smile.

"Thank you, General. I think it would be worthwhile sending another team back to negotiate trade. An all woman team, if I may suggest, sir. I have been invited to return at any time."

"Hey, you left out the best part, Carter," Colonel O'Neill said. He turned to Hammond. "We all belong to her now, sir."

"Actually, Jack it's only the marriage part of the ceremony that's legal on earth," clarified Daniel.

"Marriage?" General Hammond looked back and forth between the four members of the team.

"Yes sir. Sam and Daniel managed to get themselves hitched." The Colonel thrust his thumb in the direction of his two teammates.

"It was part of the required ritual," Daniel explained quickly, casting an uncertain glance at Sam.

Hammond nodded. "Very well. I'll give you the name of a good lawyer to help you with the annulment."

"Actually General, I don't think that will be necessary."

All heads swivelled, and they stared at Sam in surprise.

Daniel had a big grin on his face. "Really?"

She smiled. "Really."

He swallowed her up in a huge hug as the other men in the room watched.

"General Hammond, I'd like to request some personal leave" Daniel slipped his arm around Sam's shoulders.

The General couldn't help but laugh. "Can I assume that you'd like an identical leave, Major?"

Sam grinned. "If it's not too much trouble, sir."

"We've gotten by without the four of you for almost a week. Another week without you won't kill us. Just make sure you're somewhere we can reach you in case of a planetary emergency."

"Thank you, General," they replied happily.

"I'm putting SG-1 on stand down for one week. That should be enough time for you to recover from your confinement," General Hammond said to Jack and Teal'c, "And for you two to have a nice little honeymoon," he continued, turning to Sam and Daniel. "I think a celebration is in order," he concluded, beaming like a proud father.

"Ooh!" exclaimed Jack excitedly. "With cake!"

"Indeed." Teal'c nodded.

"Why don't we all get together at my place this Friday," offered Jack. He leaned closer to Teal'c, and they started planning the party.

"Permission to contact the Tok'ra, General?" Sam asked.

General Hammond laughed. "Are you kidding? Your father would have my head if I didn't let you tell him this news immediately."

The General smiled, his old friend Jacob Carter had confided some time ago that he had thought his daughter and her archaeologist friend were extremely well suited for each other. General Hammond had agreed, and they had both quietly hoped that the two scientists would get together. Now that they finally had, Hammond knew that Jacob would be very pleased.

Hammond decided that he'd call the President later that day to request a special dispensation for the newlyweds to remain on the same team together. It would make a nice wedding gift for the happy couple.

"Thank you, General," she said happily.

"SG-1, you're dismissed," said Hammond.

Daniel looked around at his friends as they all stood up. He gazed down at Sam and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Daniel lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Sam responded, but she pulled away quickly. She looked around the room nervously. Daniel smiled, imagining the internal war currently going on between her military upbringing and her feelings. He was looking forward to brokering peace between those two factions of her personality.

Sam sighed with satisfaction. It had been a trying few days, but they had made it. She forced herself to relax in the comforting feeling of Daniel's arm around her. Her arm tightened around his waist as she quelled the fear she felt stirring inside her and was reassured by Daniel's answering squeeze. There was nothing to fear. Everything was going to change, but she and Daniel could survive anything as long as they were together. Sam looked up at her new husband and smiled. Now, they'd always be together. Now, they were unstoppable.

**THE END  
So, that's it. ****My first multi-chapter fic. What did you think?  
Please read and review!**


End file.
